Bradley returns to Mariners

Milton Bradley isn’t guaranteeing anything.

He won’t say he’s beaten the personal issues that forced him to leave the Seattle Mariners and seek outside help for the past two weeks.

He won’t say exactly what those issues were.

But he will say that he’s happy to be back with the Mariners.

Bradley was activated from the restricted list before the game and in the starting lineup Tuesday night, playing left field and batting sixth.

To make room for him on the 25-man roster, reliever Sean White was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma. The Mariners also needed to make space on the 40-man roster, and placed left-hander Erik Bedard on the 60-day disabled list. Bedard will be eligible to come off the DL on June 3.

“I’m just looking forward to getting back,” Bradley said before the game. “I don’t have all the answers. I’m not saying I’m cured or whatever you may call it. But I’m working ever so hard and I’m committed to this process and it’s going to be an ongoing thing. It’ s the best thing for me. And I’m glad I took this time.”

Bradley left the team and was placed on the restricted list on May 6, following an incident when he was removed from the May 5 game against the Tampa Bay Rays after striking out with the bases loaded.

There were reports that Bradley got into an argument with manager Don Wakamatsu and then left Safeco Field shortly after he was taken out of the game.

The next day, Bradley went to Wakamatsu and general manager Jack Zduriencik asking for help in dealing with off-the-field issues that were affecting his play. The Mariners obliged and Bradley was placed on the restricted list as he received help from counselors and other professionals outside the Mariners organization.

“I’d like to thank the organization for the support and I’m forever grateful for them allowing me this time to get myself together, get back on track, get some help for the stresses and things that have been creating unhealthy and unpleasant thoughts and feelings I’ve been having to allow me to have better focus on the game that I love and enjoy playing,” he said.

Bradley has not played in a game or participated in a workout with the team, per restricted list rules, since the incident. He’d played in 21 games, hitting .214 (15-for-70) with five doubles, two homers and 12 RBI.

Wakamatsu and Zduriencik are cautiously optimistic about his production early in his return.

“He worked out a lot,” Zduriencik said. “He had his own routine going. He kept himself in reasonably good shape. One thing you have to remember is he is jumping in there today and he hasn’t seen any live pitching for two weeks.”

Wakamatsu admitted that Bradley would likely be a little rusty. But he plans to work Bradley back into the flow of the game by also using him at designated hitter when Michael Saunders is playing left field.

“Yeah, we’re looking at both DH and playing left field just to see how everything goes and what works best for the club and what works best for (Bradley),” Wakamatsu said.

Even with his early season struggles, he could still be a boost to an anemic Seattle offense that ranks last the American League in multiple offensive categories.

“We brought Milton here because we thought he could be a contributor and we still think he can be a contributor and we’re counting on him,” Zduriencik said. “We’re not putting any pressure on him. He’s a player on this club that has the ability to produce.”

White returns to Tacoma after having an uneven season with the Mariners in middle relief. He made 15 relief appearances and posted a 2.92 ERA giving up four runs in 12 innings.

INJURIES CONTINUE

Wakamatsu’s first order of business in his daily pregame briefing is to run down all of the team’s injuries.

It took him a fair amount of time to make it through the numerous dings and dents that are hampering the Mariners, including a pair of minor setbacks to players on the mend.

“We have to be able to sustain these and move forward,” Wakamatsu said.

Perhaps the most disappointing was a setback suffered by Bedard and his surgically repaired shoulder.

Bedard flew back early from the recent road trip after experiencing stiffness in his shoulder a day after throwing a simulated game in Baltimore and a long toss session in Tampa Bay.

It could most likely delay his return to the mound. The Mariners had been hoping for the first week in June.

“He was setback a little and he’ll start to play catch again on Saturday,” Wakamatsu said. “With Erik, we talked about a good scenario would be 10 months and we’re not there yet, even with this setback.”

Bedard is in his ninth month since having surgery to repair a torn labrum.

“There’s always a chance that as you get closer to pitch in a ballgame, you might have a little setback,” Wakamatsu said. “I think that’s what you are seeing. We don’t feel like this is a major setback. This is just something we had to check. He’ll throw again Saturday and we’ll determine the schedule from that point forward. I think you are going to be looking right around the 10-month mark or just slightly over it.”

Shortstop Jack Wilson will travel to Seattle from Double-A West Tenn after suffering a setback with his sore knee/hamstring. He’ll be evaluated today.

“We don’t know how bad it is,” Wakamatsu said. “But we don’t think it’s very bad.”

Reliever Mark Lowe has made minimal progress in his recovery from a herniated disk.

“We had planned on him joining us in Oakland,” Wakamatsu said. “But the epidural he had was supposed to help him in seven to 10 days, but he got to that point and it wasn’t a whole lot better. We’re just going to monitor to see if the pain goes away.”

Catcher Adam Moore was spotted wearing a brace on his left fibula, hoping that it would help the injury heal. But it will be at least two to four weeks until his return.

“Adam Moore’s injury is disappointing as any because he started to play well in Tampa,” Wakamatsu said. “He was starting to hit the ball.”

ON TAP

The Mariners will wrap up the two-game series with the Blue Jays with an afternoon game. Left-hander Jason Vargas (3-2, 2.93 ERA) will get the start for the Mariners, while left-hander Ricky Romero (4-1, 2.28 ERA) will go for the Blue Jays. First pitch is set for 12:40 p.m. The game will be broadcast on FSN.

Ryan Divish: 253-597-8483 ryan.divish@thenewstribune.com blog.thenewstribune.com/mariners